This question just popped up in my mind after being scared by the tiniest of spiders. It’s such a universal fear yet it’s completely irrational, in most cases atleast.
There’s very little most insects can do to you, unless you live in Australia lol.
So why are we so scared of something that we can just kill with one slap.
Is it socialisation? Some primal instinct?
In: Biology
I think the primal fear explanation is fairly limited. There are very few dangerous/venomous insects and arachnids. Human toddlers and the great apes don’t generally show fear/disgust toward all Arthropoda. Quite a few human cultures use them as an important food source. I would think it’s mostly a socialized filth taboo. Bugs are seen as unclean/dirty.
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